Disneyland Half Marathon 2013

by Beth on September 12, 2013

After having a blast at the Disneyland 10k, we headed back to our hotel for a quick change, a glass of wine and some beer, and then some fun in the parks! We headed to California Adventure, where we had a lovely lunch at Flo’s V8, did some single rider action on Radiator Springs Racers, did Tower of Terror (well, I discovered there is no chicken elevator in California, just a door) and then we headed to the Disneyland Hotel for a visit to the world famous Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar! Warning, Trader Sams is REALLY fun, but I think I was instadrunk.

We were up bright and early the next morning to tow the line at the Disneyland Half Marathon. I had originally had great expectations for this race, knowing that it was the fastest 13.1 miles I had ever covered (spoiler alert, the 2012 PR stands, by A LOT). But considering how hot it was that weekend (which I knew when I decided to partake at Trader Sam’s) and the fact that my lower back was feeling seriously WEIRD after the 10k, I knew this would be more of a fast long run goal for me. Even though my awesome friend Charrissa told me not to give up too soon, I saw the handwriting on the wall. So I decided to have fun. Lots of fun.

Starting with this photo of Noel, me and my banana phone. Yes, Derek and Charrissa were being serious, and I made them stop to wait for me having my picture taken with my banana phone. BTW, I feel bad for the banana. I didn’t eat it, and just abandoned it in the corral.

The wisdom of my decision to not push too hard was reaffirmed early on. I took a restroom break near Soarin in CA Adventure, then my back, which had bothered me the day before started acting up. And then i really decided this was a LR. And I decided again to have fun. Remembering all of my character pictures from the day before, I HAD to stop for a picture with Snow White, who is generally acknowledged to be my princess doppelganger.

I was cruising along until we left the parks, and then suddenly, the back pain was worse. I actually flagged down a med person on a bike about mile 5, just get a reassurance that this was just a muscle thing and not something crazy like my kidney. She reassured me and told me to keep going. And I did. Albeit, at a walk/run sort of pace.

But I decided to not be negative, and instead soak it all in. I set a PR that day in high fives–I slapped the hand of every kid, scout, and cheerleader who had a hand hanging out. And Angel Stadium was my high point. It was just as awesome as I remembered, with more high fives than ever before!

As I came in to finish–setting a personal worst time that I don’t really feel the need to publish here, you can find it easily enough–I realized that enjoyed this race. Like the 10k the day before, it made me realize I love running and racing just for the sake of doing it, not always for the time or PR.